Improvement in water-wheels



'l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS SYMONDS, OF OUMBERLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO HIB/[SELFV AND HOSEAKENDALL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WHEELS.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, THoMAs SYMoNDs, of Oumberland,in the county ofCumberland and State of Maine, have inventedja new and usefulImprovement in Outer-Vent, Direct, and Reaction Water-Wheels; and l dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exa-ctdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming partof this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective sectional view of my improved wheel. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of thebuckets from its rear surface. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same fromits front surface.

The same letters of reference in the figures refer to like parts.

The nature of my invention consists in buckets constructed with a deepdirect-acting surface and with a shallow twisted and nearly horizontalreacting surface of great length, as hereinafter specied.

It consists, second, in the combination of such buckets with a hub ofbell or trumpet mouth shaped circumference, and with a stationaryscrollcase of a depth just about equal tothe depth ofthe direct-actingsurface of the bncketsffallLasiand for the purpose described. y Y

To'enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the construction and operation of the same withreference to the drawings.

A is the shaft, B its step, C the hub, D the buckets, E the scroll-caseor apron, and F the `water-inlet gate, of the Wheel. The hub C is ofcylindrical form from its upper end to Within a short distance of itslower end, where it enlarges circumferentially on a concave, formingapart of a flat scroll; or, in other words, the outline of the hub, asrepre sented, is similar to that of the outer end of a trumpet or bell.This hub is fastened firm] y upon the shaft A.

The buckets D, which are arranged upon the hub as represented, may bedescribed as being formed out of a iianged segment-plate, or a plate,Fig. 5, which has the form of a depressedscroll. The lower edge of saidplate being shaped to tit on a Wind, the scroll concave portion b of thehub, as indicated by red line t t, and the outer edge, c cf c2, of thebucket formed so as to present a straight vertical line and a curvedhorizontal line by cutting a piece out of the plate, Fig. 5, as in-`dicated by thered line X X X. The bucket thus shaped resembles veryclosely aboottree with its foot portion, from instep to toe,

twisted round horizontally or bent thus ona curve or wind. i

In manufacturing the `buckets they may, of course, be cast, wrought, orotherwise produced on a pattern of the described shape.

By examining the drawings, it will be seen that the ange e ofthebuckets, by which they (the buckets) are firmly bolted to the hub, as atf f, affords a firm back support to them; also, that the concave formofthe deep vertical l portion of the buckets adm-its of strong bolts fbeing introduced on the working-surface for the purpose of furtherfastening the buckets to the hub.

The buckets, from top to instep, are covered and inclosed by thestationary scroll-case or apron E, and thus deep water-tightwaterchannels,which are vertical, are formed for the reception of thedirect-acting water 5 but below, or from the instep to the toe ordischarging end, the curved or nearly horizontal portions of the bucketsare not inclosed, they being on a gradually-increasing circumferential lsurface which is overhung by the bottom board of the scroltcase orapron, so as to cover in water-tight the open tops of the channelsformed by the said curved horizontal portions of the buckets. Thus afree discharge of reacting water is secured, the reacting anddirect-acting waters not interfering with one another, inasmuch as thelatter is inclosed, and the former, by reason of the gradual enlargementof the circumferential surface of the hub, having due compensation forits increasel velocity acquired in its change from a horizontal to avertical course.

With my arrangement the wheel rst takes its water direct, and then thereacting force thereof, the reaction being the quickest, owing to thewater acquiring increased velocity in its descent. This increase invelocity is accommodated by the gradually-enlarged circumferentialsurface oof the tub. Thus the pressure, as nearly as can be ascertained,isv equably diffused over the whole surface or. face familiar with standstill.

' rives therefrom a support upon which to impinge Whiletransferring itsforce to the buck ets. The construction and arrangement ofthe bucketsalso allows the wheel to run from eight to ten inches lower -in water(back or dead) than any other existing wheel iwith.

which I am familiar, for the reason that there is so small a surface forthe backwater to obstruct, and that small surface, lthe foot ofthebucket-,is always runnin g away from the backwater, so that it cannotget a hold upon it.

In testing my wheel with others ot' equal head a-nd fall, I ljnd iti-isnot less than ten per cent. stronger, and that with a low head ofwaterit will run where all others that Iain This is due to the great depthofthe vertical or directacting part of the buckets and the shallow depthbut great length of the reacting part of the buckets.

I have tried buckets similar to Leftels patent ot' 1845, and many othersimilar forms, but ind that to get the greatest reacting power theexhaust tube or apertures must be carried out horizontally, or as nearlyso as practicable, and to as great a length as possible Without creatingdead-water.

I think in the plan shown and described I have attained the limit inproportion, very nearly.

The great advantage of my construction and arrangement will be readilyTascertained by experimenting as follows Cut from the blickets the curvedor reacting part down and outwardly from the instep or inner diameter ofthe still apron or scroll-case, and it will be found that the power ofthe wheel is lessened one-halt'. Drop the buckets after the plan shownin Left'els patent ot'1845, and itis lessened one-third, or it ceases torun in dead-water-that is, with the reacting part of the bucketssubmerged-because Leii'els Wheel does not work the full power of thcwater, but allows it to fall dead and useless.

I do not claim anything that is shown in my wheel which is embraced inthe waterwheels patented to A. B. Beckwith, July 2, 1842, and to WilburM. Davis,` June 24, 18565 but What- I claim as my invention, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The buckets D, constructed in the forni herein described, for thepurpose set forth'.

2. The combination and arrangementof the buckets D, graduallyenlarginghub C, and stationary scroll-case or apron E, the Whole constructed andoperating in the manner and for the purpose specified.

Witnesses: THOMAS SYMONDSV.

WM. H. Woon, CHANDLER RACKLEFF.

